Natalia Emanuel

As organizations rethink where, when, and how people work, Natalia Emanuel is at the forefront of research challenging conventional wisdom about productivity, collaboration, and the future of the workplace. A research economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Natalia examines what truly drives employee performance, professional development, and organizational success, offering fresh insights into one of the most important challenges facing business leaders today.

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Natalia is the co-author, alongside economist Emma Harrington, of In Person: How Working Together Fuels Creativity, Productivity, and Growth (2026). Drawing on extensive economic research, the book challenges conventional thinking about return-to-office mandates and explores how organizations can balance the benefits of working together with the flexibility employees increasingly value.

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Her influential research investigates the relationship between physical proximity, collaboration, mentorship, and professional development. Natalia has examined how working alongside colleagues can accelerate learning and skill development, while highlighting the trade-offs between immediate productivity and the longer-term benefits of workplace interaction. Her findings offer valuable insights for business leaders navigating hybrid working, talent retention, and the future of work.

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Beyond workplace economics, Natalia’s research encompasses wage inequality, labour market dynamics, and the impact of public policies. Her work has appeared in leading academic publications, including Science, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and the American Economic Journal, and has attracted attention from major media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist.

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Natalia earned her PhD in Economics from Harvard University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University. She holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Oxford, where she studied as a Marshall Scholar.

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Combining rigorous economic research with practical insights, Natalia offers a fresh perspective on how organizations can improve productivity, develop talent, and unlock the full potential of working together.

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